I find that the best way to get a neat unravelled end to traces is to use a pair of (what are known as) half-cutters. The best ones have heavily case hardened cutting edges and are probably hard chromed as well. Radio Spares (RS) or Farnell electronic suppliers stock lots of varieties of these. I have a pair of CK half-cutters, which are designed to cut though 2mm piano wire, and these will even cut through tungsten wire, which is difficult to do, since it has a grain, and splinters easily.Also, these will easily cut through hooks on the bank, and from the flying treble in the net!, so you can get your catch back in the water quickly! Choose ones with an angle on each side of the cutting blade, then your multistranded wire will be cut in a neat V instead of being cut at right angles at one side, and angled on the other.... not good, this leads to unravelling. Buy the best you can afford, and make sure the jaws ARE really case hardened- you can tell this due to the amber-blue discolouration of the steel on the cutting edges - I paid about ?50 for mine. Also, make sure the wire is under a little tension maybe a 1kg weight- it cuts far more easily. Nevertheless, such cutting implements do leave a very sharp and murderous cut end- I fold these back into the crimp (use a pair of forceps to quickly and decisively bend the short end back) to ensure that I don't get razor cuts to my hands- these do not heal quickly, and with all the infectious things on the bank and fish, this isn't a trivial issue. You can also shield the cut ends with shrink tube, but this is quite laborious, and a bit over the top. I would also suggest, and I'm serious about this, that if you are using these very sharp cutters with metal, that you use some EYE PROTECTION (to British standards). Small shards of metal, which can be generated with these types of cutters can be devastating: I've seen the effects of metal fragments in the eye-horrible- its not worth the risk, so make all your traces at home, with due care. Hope this has been useful,Good luck... Simon